Memory Arrays Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells And Methods Used In Forming A Memory Array Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells

ABSTRACT

A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. The conductor tier is directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple to the conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAVs that individually directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines. Insulator walls are in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend vertically through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated. Methods are also disclosed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments disclosed herein pertain to memory arrays comprising strings of memory cells and to methods used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells.

BACKGROUND

Memory is one type of integrated circuitry and is used in computer systems for storing data. Memory may be fabricated in one or more arrays of individual memory cells. Memory cells may be written to, or read from, using digitlines (which may also be referred to as bitlines, data lines, or sense lines) and access lines (which may also be referred to as wordlines). The sense lines may conductively interconnect memory cells along columns of the array, and the access lines may conductively interconnect memory cells along rows of the array. Each memory cell may be uniquely addressed through the combination of a sense line and an access line.

Memory cells may be volatile, semi-volatile, or non-volatile. Non-volatile memory cells can store data for extended periods of time in the absence of power. Non-volatile memory is conventionally specified to be memory having a retention time of at least about 10 years. Volatile memory dissipates and is therefore refreshed/rewritten to maintain data storage. Volatile memory may have a retention time of milliseconds or less. Regardless, memory cells are configured to retain or store memory in at least two different selectable states. In a binary system, the states are considered as either a “0” or a “1”. In other systems, at least some individual memory cells may be configured to store more than two levels or states of information.

A field effect transistor is one type of electronic component that may be used in a memory cell. These transistors comprise a pair of conductive source/drain regions having a semiconductive channel region there-between. A conductive gate is adjacent the channel region and separated there-from by a thin gate insulator. Application of a suitable voltage to the gate allows current to flow from one of the source/drain regions to the other through the channel region. When the voltage is removed from the gate, current is largely prevented from flowing through the channel region. Field effect transistors may also include additional structure, for example a reversibly programmable charge-storage region as part of the gate construction between the gate insulator and the conductive gate.

Flash memory is one type of memory and has numerous uses in modern computers and devices. For instance, modern personal computers may have BIOS stored on a flash memory chip. As another example, it is becoming increasingly common for computers and other devices to utilize flash memory in solid state drives to replace conventional hard drives. As yet another example, flash memory is popular in wireless electronic devices because it enables manufacturers to support new communication protocols as they become standardized, and to provide the ability to remotely upgrade the devices for enhanced features.

Memory arrays may be arranged in memory pages, memory blocks and partial blocks (e.g., sub-blocks), and memory planes, for example as shown and described in any of U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2015/0228651, 2016/0267984, and 2017/0140833. The memory blocks may at least in part define longitudinal outlines of individual wordlines in individual wordline tiers of vertically-stacked memory cells. Connections to these wordlines may occur in a so-called “stair-step structure” at an end or edge of an array of the vertically-stacked memory cells. The stair-step structure includes individual “stairs” (alternately termed “steps” or “stair-steps”) that define contact regions of the individual wordlines upon which elevationally-extending conductive vias contact to provide electrical access to the wordlines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view of a die or die area that may be part of a larger substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer, and not shown).

FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic cross-section view of a portion of FIG. 1 in process in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and is through line 2-2 in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-section view through line 3-3 in FIG. 2 .

FIGS. 4-37 are diagrammatic sequential sectional and/or enlarged views of the construction of FIGS. 1-3 , or portions thereof, or alternate and/or additional embodiments, in process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention encompass methods used in forming a memory array, for example an array of NAND or other memory cells having peripheral control circuitry under the array (e.g., CMOS-under-array). Embodiments of the invention encompass so-called “gate-last” or “replacement-gate” processing, so-called “gate-first” processing, and other processing whether existing or future-developed independent of when transistor gates are formed. Embodiments of the invention also encompass a memory array (e.g., NAND architecture) independent of method of manufacture. Example method embodiments are described with reference to FIGS. 1-37 which may be considered as a “gate-last” or “replacement-gate” process. Further, and regardless, the following sequence of processing steps is but one example and other sequences of the example processing steps (with or without other processing steps) may be used regardless of whether using “gate-last/replacement-gate” processing.

FIG. 1 shows an example diagrammatic embodiment comprising a die or die area 100 that may be part of a larger substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer, and not shown) and within which a memory array will be fabricated. Example die area 100 comprises at least one memory-plane region 105 (four being shown), memory-block regions 58 in individual memory-plane regions 105, a stair-step region 60 (two being shown at longitudinal ends of the memory planes), and a peripheral circuitry region PC (two being shown). In this document, “block” is generic to include “sub-block”. Alternate orientations may be used, for example having a stair-step region between immediately-adjacent memory planes (not shown). Regions 105, 58, 60, and/or PC may not be discernable at this point of processing. FIGS. 2-5 are diagrammatic larger and varied scale views of portions of die area 100.

Referring to FIGS. 2-5 , a construction 10 is shown in a method of forming an array or array region 12 of elevationally-extending strings of transistors and/or memory cells (not yet fabricated) and in forming a through-array-via (TAV) region 19. A “TAV region” is a region in which operative TAVs are present or will be formed. An “operative TAV” is a circuit-operative conductive interconnect extending through a stack 18* (described below) and between electronic components at different elevations in a finished construction of integrated circuitry that has been or is being fabricated. A TAV region may also contain one or more dummy TAVs (i.e., a circuit-inoperative structure extending through a stack 18* in a finished construction of integrated circuitry that has been or is being fabricated). Example TAV region 19 may be in individual memory planes 105 (i.e., in-plane; e.g., FIG. 1 ) or be out-of-plane (i.e., outside of a memory-plane region; e.g., edge-of-plane or in a stair-step region 60). By way of example only, example in-plane TAV regions 19 are so-designated in FIG. 1 . The discussion proceeds with respect to a single TAV region 19, although likely multiple TAV regions to which the invention is applicable will exist and whether those multiple TAV regions are in-plane, out-of-plane, and/or a combination of in-plane and out-of-plane.

Example construction 10 comprises a base substrate 11 comprising conductive/conductor/conducting, semiconductive/semiconductor/semiconducting, and/or insulative/insulator/insulating (i.e., electrically herein) materials. Various materials have been formed elevationally over base substrate 11. Materials may be aside, elevationally inward, or elevationally outward of the FIGS. 2-5 -depicted materials. For example, other partially or wholly fabricated components of integrated circuitry may be provided somewhere above, about, or within base substrate 11. Control and/or other peripheral circuitry for operating components in an array (e.g., array 12 or memory-array region 12) of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells may also be fabricated and may or may not be wholly or partially within an array or sub-array. Further, multiple sub-arrays may also be fabricated and operated independently, in tandem, or otherwise relative one another. In this document, a “sub-array” may also be considered as an array.

A lower tier 13 has been formed above substrate 11 and comprises horizontally-elongated conductive lines 80 comprising conductive material 79 (e.g., metal material). Conductive lines 80 may be part of peripheral-under-array circuitry and, regardless, may have any configuration or orientation that are not otherwise material to the invention. Insulative material 83 (e.g., silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride) in lower tier 13 is between conductive lines 80. Conductive lines 80 would likely also be in array region 12, but are not shown therein for brevity. An insulator tier 14 comprising insulator material 15 has been formed above lower tier 13 (e.g., comprising different composition materials 26 and 24, for example silicon nitride and silicon dioxide, respectively).

A conductor tier 16 comprising conductor material 17 has been formed directly above lower tier 13, with insulator tier 14 being vertically between lower tier 13 and conductor tier 16. Conductor material 17 as shown comprises upper conductor material 43 directly above and directly electrically coupled to (e.g., directly against) lower conductor material 44 of different composition from upper conductor material 43. In one embodiment, upper conductor material 43 comprises conductively-doped semiconductive material (e.g., n-type-doped or p-type-doped polysilicon). In one embodiment, lower conductor material 44 comprises metal material (e.g., a metal silicide such as WSi_(x)). Conductor tier 16 may comprise part of control circuitry (e.g., peripheral-under-array circuitry and/or a common source line or plate) used to control read and write access to the transistors and/or memory cells that will be formed within array 12. In one embodiment, TAV region 19 comprises lower vias 81 (e.g., metal material) that individually extend through insulator tier 14 and directly electrically couple to one of conductive lines 80. Lower vias 81 may include or have an insulative lining there-about (e.g., silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride and not shown).

In one embodiment, a lower portion 18L of a stack 18* has been formed above substrate 11 and conductor tier 16 (an * being used as a suffix to be inclusive of all such same-numerically-designated components that may or may not have other suffixes). Stack 18* will comprise vertically-alternating conductive tiers 22* and insulative tiers 20*, with material of tiers 22* being of different composition from material of tiers 20*. Lower portion 18L, conductor tier 16, insulator tier 14, and lower tier 13 collectively comprise laterally-spaced memory-block regions 58 that will comprise laterally-spaced memory blocks 58 in a finished circuitry construction and comprise TAV region 19. In this document, unless otherwise indicated, “block” is generic to include “sub-block”. Memory-block regions 58 and resultant memory blocks 58 (not yet shown) may be considered as being longitudinally elongated and also oriented, for example horizontally-parallel relative one another, along a direction 55. Memory-block regions 58 may not be discernable at this point of processing. A TAV region may be within a memory-block region (not shown).

Conductive tiers 22* (alternately referred to as first tiers) may not comprise conducting material and insulative tiers 20* (alternately referred to as second tiers) may not comprise insulative material or be insulative at this point in processing in conjunction with the hereby initially-described example method embodiment which is “gate-last” or “replacement-gate”. In one embodiment, lower portion 18L comprises a lowest tier 20 z of second tiers 20* directly above (e.g., directly against) conductor material 17. Example lowest second tier 20 z is insulative and may be sacrificial (e.g., comprising material 62, for example silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride). A next-lowest second tier 20 x of second tiers 20* is directly above lowest second tier 20 z (e.g., comprising material 63, for example silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride). A lowest tier 22 z of first tiers 22* comprising sacrificial material 77 (e.g., polysilicon or silicon nitride) is vertically between lowest second tier 20 z and next-lowest second tier 20 x. In one embodiment, lower portion 18L comprises a conducting-material tier 21 comprising conducting material 47 (e.g., conductively-doped polysilicon) that is directly above next-lowest second tier 20 x. In one embodiment, lower portion 18L comprises an uppermost tier, for example a next-next lowest second tier 20 w (e.g., comprising material 24). Tiers 20 w and 21 may be of the same or of different thickness(es) relative one another. Additional tiers may be present. For example, one or more additional tiers may be above tier 20 w (tier 20 w thereby not being the uppermost tier in portion 18L, and not shown), between tier 20 w and tier 21 (not shown), and/or below tier 22 z (other than 20 z not being shown).

Horizontally-oriented insulator walls are formed in the TAV region, with such insulator walls extending through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier (e.g., and extending from lower portion 18L when present and, if so, in one embodiment there-through). An example method of doing so is described with reference to FIGS. 6-17 .

Referring to FIGS. 6-11 , wall-trenches 82 (e.g., trenches in which the insulator walls will be formed) have been formed though lower portion 18L, conductor tier 16, and insulator tier 14 to lower tier 13 (e.g., by photolithographic patterning and etch).

Referring to FIGS. 12-17 , insulative material 84 has been formed in wall trenches 82 and planarized back at least to the top of lower portion 18L. Thereby, horizontally-oriented insulator walls 85* have been formed and that extend in one embodiment from lower portion 18L (in one embodiment there-through as shown) through conductor tier 16 and insulator tier 14 to lower tier 13. In one embodiment, insulator walls 85* comprise a series of first insulator walls 85 y in a first vertical cross-section (e.g., that through section line 17-17 in FIG. 14 ) and a series of second insulator walls 85 x in a second vertical cross-section (e.g., that through section line 16-16 in FIG. 14 ). In one such embodiment and as shown, the first and second vertical cross-sections are orthogonal relative one another. Regardless, in one embodiment, individual of insulator walls 85* cross over above a plurality of conductive lines 80.

In one embodiment, individual insulator walls 85* have one region 86 that is directly against a top of individual conductive lines 80 where crossing thereover. In one such embodiment, individual insulator walls 85* have another region 87 that extends downwardly to between immediately-adjacent conductive lines 80 (i.e., there being no other line 80 there-between). Regardless, in one embodiment individual insulator walls 85* have longitudinally-alternating regions of different vertical thicknesses relative one another (e.g., regions 86 and 87). Regardless, in one embodiment individual insulator walls 85* have longitudinally-alternating regions of different vertical thicknesses relative one another (e.g., regions 86 and 87 having thickness T1 and T2, respectively).

Referring to FIGS. 18-23 , an upper portion 18U of stack 18* has been formed above lower portion 18L and above insulator walls 85*. Upper portion 18U comprises vertically-alternating different composition first tiers 22 and second tiers 20. First tiers 22 may be conductive and second tiers 20 may be insulative, yet need not be so at this point of processing in conjunction with the hereby initially-described example method embodiment which is “gate-last” or “replacement-gate”. Example first tiers 22 and second tiers 20 comprise different composition materials 26 and 24 (e.g., silicon nitride and silicon dioxide), respectively. Example upper portion 18U is shown starting above lower portion 18L with a first tier 22 although such could alternately start with a second tier 20 (not shown) or tier 20 w may be considered as being in upper portion 18U (not so designated). Further, and by way of example, lower portion 18L may be formed to have one or more first and/or second tiers as a top thereof. Regardless, only a small number of tiers 20 and 22 is shown, with more likely upper portion 18U (and thereby stack 18*) comprising dozens, a hundred or more, etc. of tiers 20 and 22. Further, other circuitry that may or may not be part of peripheral and/or control circuitry may be between conductor tier 16 and stack 18*. By way of example only, multiple vertically-alternating tiers of conductive material and insulative material of such circuitry may be below a lowest of conductive tiers 22 and/or above an uppermost of conductive tiers 22. For example, one or more select gate tiers (not shown) may be between conductor tier 16 and lowest conductive tier 22 and one or more select gate tiers may be above an uppermost of conductive tiers 22. Alternately or additionally, at least one of the depicted uppermost and lowest conductive tiers 22 may be a select gate tier.

Channel openings 25 have been formed (e.g., by etching) through second tiers 20 and first tiers 22 in upper portion 18U to conductor tier 16 in lower portion 18L (e.g., at least to lowest first tier 22 z) in lower portion 18L. Channel openings 25 may taper radially-inward (not shown) moving deeper in stack 18. In some embodiments, channel openings 25 may go into conductor material 17 of conductor tier 16 as shown or may stop there-atop (not shown). Alternately, as an example, channel openings 25 may stop atop or within the lowest second tier 20 z. A reason for extending channel openings 25 at least to conductor material 17 of conductor tier 16 is to provide an anchoring effect to material that is within channel openings 25. Etch-stop material (not shown) may be within or atop conductive material 17 of conductor tier 16 to facilitate stopping of the etching of channel openings 25 relative to conductor tier 16 when such is desired. Such etch-stop material may be sacrificial or non-sacrificial.

Transistor channel material may be formed in the individual channel openings elevationally along the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers, thus comprising individual channel-material strings, which is directly electrically coupled with conductor material in the conductor tier. Individual memory cells of the example memory array being formed may comprise a gate region (e.g., a control-gate region) and a memory structure laterally-between the gate region and the channel material. In one such embodiment, the memory structure is formed to comprise a charge-blocking region, storage material (e.g., charge-storage material), and an insulative charge-passage material. The storage material (e.g., floating gate material such as doped or undoped silicon or charge-trapping material such as silicon nitride, metal dots, etc.) of the individual memory cells is elevationally along individual of the charge-blocking regions. The insulative charge-passage material (e.g., a band gap-engineered structure having nitrogen-containing material [e.g., silicon nitride] sandwiched between two insulator oxides [e.g., silicon dioxide]) is laterally-between the channel material and the storage material.

In one embodiment and as shown, charge-blocking material 30, storage material 32, and charge-passage material 34 have been formed in individual channel openings 25 elevationally along insulative tiers 20 and conductive tiers 22. Transistor materials 30, 32, and 34 (e.g., memory-cell materials) may be formed by, for example, deposition of respective thin layers thereof over stack 18* and within individual openings 25 followed by planarizing such back at least to a top surface of stack 18*.

Channel material 36 as a channel-material string 53 has also been formed in channel openings 25 elevationally along insulative tiers 20 and conductive tiers 22. Materials 30, 32, 34, and 36 are collectively shown as and only designated as material 37 in some figures due to scale. Example channel materials 36 include appropriately-doped crystalline semiconductor material, such as one or more silicon, germanium, and so-called III/V semiconductor materials (e.g., GaAs, InP, GaP, and GaN). Example thickness for each of materials 30, 32, 34, and 36 is 25 to 100 Angstroms. Punch etching may be conducted to remove materials 30, 32, and 34 from the bases of channel openings 25 (not shown) to expose conductor tier 16 such that channel material 36 is directly against conductor material 17 of conductor tier 16. Such punch etching may occur separately with respect to each of materials 30, 32, and 34 (as shown) or may occur with respect to only some (not shown). Alternately, and by way of example only, no punch etching may be conducted and channel material 36 may be directly electrically coupled to conductor material 17 of conductor tier 16 only by a separate conductive interconnect (not yet shown). Regardless, sacrificial etch-stop plugs (not shown) may be formed in lower portion 18L in horizontal locations where channel openings 25 will be prior to forming upper portion 18U. Channel openings 25 may then be formed by etching materials 24 and 26 to stop on or within the material of the sacrificial plugs, followed by exhuming remaining material of such plugs prior to forming material in channel openings 25. A radially-central solid dielectric material 38 (e.g., spin-on-dielectric, silicon dioxide, and/or silicon nitride) is shown in channel openings 25. Alternately, and by way of example only, the radially-central portion within channel openings 25 may include void space(s) (not shown) and/or be devoid of solid material (not shown).

In one embodiment, insulator walls 85* individually have a top 91 that is at or below a bottom 92 of upper portion 18U of stack 18*. Regardless, in one embodiment, insulator walls 85* individually have top 91 that is elevationally coincident with a top 93 of lower portion 18L of stack 18*.

Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25 , upper vias 88 have been formed in TAV region 19 directly above and that individually extend to directly electrically couple to individual lower vias 81 to form individual TAVs 89. Accordingly, and in but one embodiment, individual TAVs 89 comprise a lower via 81 and an upper via 88 that are formed at different times relative one another. Alternately, and by way of example, individual vias 89 could be formed in a single masking step at this point of processing in the absence of forming lower vias 81 earlier (not shown). Example upper vias 88 have an insulative lining 90 there-about (e.g., silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride. In one embodiment, immediately-adjacent first insulator walls 85 y (i.e., there being no other wall 85 y there-between) in combination with immediately-adjacent second insulator 85 x walls (i.e., there being no other wall 85 x there-between) surround individual TAVs 89.

Referring to FIGS. 26 and 27 , horizontally-elongated trenches 40 have been formed (e.g., by anisotropic etching) into stack 18* through upper portion 18U and that extend through next-lowest second tier 20 x to sacrificial material 77 of lowest first tier 22 z. Trenches 40 are individually between immediately-laterally-adjacent memory-block regions 58. Trenches 40 may taper laterally-inward in vertical cross-section moving deeper into stack 18. By way of example and for brevity only, channel openings 25 are shown as being arranged in groups or columns of staggered rows of three and four channel openings 25 per row. Trenches 40 will typically be wider than channel openings 25 (e.g., 10 to 20 times wider, yet such wider degree not being shown for brevity). Any alternate existing or future-developed arrangement and construction may be used. Trenches 40 and channel openings 25 may be formed in any order relative the other or at the same time.

Trenches 40 as shown have been formed to extend to material 77 of lowest first tier 22 z. As one example, trenches 40 may initially be formed by etching materials 24, 26, and 47 (likely using different anisotropic etching chemistries) and that stops on or within material 63 of next-lowest second tier 20 x. A thin sacrificial liner 94 (e.g., hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, multiple layers of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride, etc.) may then be formed, followed by punch-etching there-through to expose material 63, and followed by punch-etching through material 63 to expose material 77. Alternately, and by way of example only, a sacrificial etch-stop line (not shown) having the same general horizontal outline as trenches 40 may individually be formed in conducting-material tier 21 (when present) directly above and in contact with material 63 of next-lowest second tier 20 x before forming upper portion 18U. Trenches 40 may then be formed by etching materials 24 and 26 to stop on or within the material of the individual sacrificial lines, followed by exhuming remaining material of such sacrificial lines prior to forming thin sacrificial liner 94. One or more trenches 40 may be formed directly against TAV region 19 (not shown) including, for example, partially there-within (not shown). Alternately, a trench 40 that is closest to TAV region 19 may be laterally spaced therefrom.

In one embodiment, sacrificial material 77 is replaced with conductive material that directly electrically couples together channel material 36 of channel-material strings 53 and conductor material 17 of conductor tier 16. For example, and referring to FIGS. 28-30 , several example processing steps have occurred since those shown by FIGS. 26 and 27 . Sacrificial material 77 (not shown) has been removed from lowest first tier 22 z through trenches 40 to leave or forming a void space vertically between lowest second tier 20 z and next-lowest second tier 20 x. Such may occur, for example, by isotropic etching that is ideally conducted selectively relative to materials 62 and 63, for example using liquid or vapor H₃PO₄ as a primary etchant where material 77 is silicon nitride or using tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide [TMAH] where material 77 is polysilicon. The artisan is capable of selecting other chemistries for other materials 77.

Subsequently, in one embodiment, material 30 (e.g., silicon dioxide), material 32 (e.g., silicon nitride), and material 34 (e.g., silicon dioxide or a combination of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride) have been etched in tier 22 z to expose a sidewall 41 of channel material 36 of channel-material strings 53 in lowest first tier 22 z. Any of materials 30, 32, and 34 in tier 22 z may be considered as being sacrificial material therein. As an example, consider an embodiment where liner 94 is one or more insulative oxides (other than silicon dioxide) and memory-cell materials 30, 32, and 34 individually are one or more of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride layers. In such example, the depicted construction can result by using modified or different chemistries for sequentially etching silicon dioxide and silicon nitride selectively relative to the other. As examples, a solution of 100:1 (by volume) water to HF will etch silicon dioxide selectively relative to silicon nitride, whereas a solution of 1000:1 (by volume) water to HF will etch silicon nitride selectively relative to silicon dioxide. Accordingly, and in such example, such etching chemistries can be used in an alternating manner where it is desired to achieve the example depicted construction. In one embodiment and as shown, such etching has been conducted selectively relative to liner 94 (when present). In one embodiment, materials 62 and 63 (not shown in memory-block regions 58) are also removed. When so removed, such may be removed when removing materials 30, 32, and 34 are removed, for example if materials 62 and 63 comprise one or both of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. Alternately, when so removed, such may be removed separately (e.g., by isotropic etching). The artisan is capable of selecting other chemistries for etching other different materials where a construction as shown is desired.

After exposing sidewall 41, conducting material 42 (e.g., conductively-doped polysilicon) has been formed in lowest first tier 22 z and in one embodiment directly against sidewall 41 of channel material 36. In one embodiment and as shown, such has been formed directly against a bottom of conducting material 47 of conducting-material tier 21 and directly against a top of conductor material 43 of conductor tier 16, thereby directly electrically coupling together channel material 36 of individual channel-material strings 53 with conductor material 43 of conductor tier 16 and conducting material 47 of conducting-material tier 21. Subsequently, and by way of example, conducting material 42 has been removed from trenches 40 as has sacrificial liner 94 (not shown). Sacrificial liner 94 may be removed before or after forming conducting material 42.

Referring to FIGS. 31-37 , material 26 of conductive tiers 22 in array region 12 has been removed, for example by being isotropically etched away through trenches 40 ideally selectively relative to the other exposed materials (e.g., using liquid or vapor H₃PO₄ as a primary etchant where material 26 is silicon nitride and other materials comprise one or more oxides or polysilicon). Material 26 in conductive tiers 22 in array region 12 in the example embodiment is sacrificial and has been replaced with conducting material 48, and which has thereafter been removed from trenches 40, thus forming individual conductive lines 29 (e.g., wordlines) and elevationally-extending strings 49 of individual transistors and/or memory cells 56. In one embodiment and as shown, individual tops 91 of insulator walls 85* are below memory cells 56.

Some, all, or none of material 26 may be removed from TAV region 19 (no removal therefrom being shown), for example depending on proximity of trenches 40 that are closest thereto and/or presence or lack thereof of etch-blocking material(s)/structure(s) in tiers 22 in upper portion 18U (not shown).

A thin insulative liner (e.g., Al₂O₃ and not shown) may be formed before forming conducting material 48. Approximate locations of some transistors and/or some memory cells 56 are indicated with a bracket or with dashed outlines, with transistors and/or memory cells 56 being essentially ring-like or annular in the depicted example. Alternately, transistors and/or memory cells 56 may not be completely encircling relative to individual channel openings 25 such that each channel opening 25 may have two or more elevationally-extending strings 49 (e.g., multiple transistors and/or memory cells about individual channel openings in individual conductive tiers with perhaps multiple wordlines per channel opening in individual conductive tiers, and not shown). Conducting material 48 may be considered as having terminal ends 50 corresponding to control-gate regions 52 of individual transistors and/or memory cells 56. Control-gate regions 52 in the depicted embodiment comprise individual portions of individual conductive lines 29. Materials 30, 32, and 34 may be considered as a memory structure 65 that is laterally between control-gate region 52 and channel material 36. In one embodiment and as shown with respect to the example “gate-last” processing, conducting material 48 of conductive tiers 22 is formed after forming openings 25 and/or trenches 40. Alternately, the conducting material of the conductive tiers may be formed before forming channel openings 25 and/or trenches 40 (not shown), for example with respect to “gate-first” processing.

A charge-blocking region (e.g., charge-blocking material 30) is between storage material 32 and individual control-gate regions 52. A charge block may have the following functions in a memory cell: In a program mode, the charge block may prevent charge carriers from passing out of the storage material (e.g., floating-gate material, charge-trapping material, etc.) toward the control gate, and in an erase mode the charge block may prevent charge carriers from flowing into the storage material from the control gate. Accordingly, a charge block may function to block charge migration between the control-gate region and the storage material of individual memory cells. An example charge-blocking region as shown comprises insulator material 30. By way of further examples, a charge-blocking region may comprise a laterally (e.g., radially) outer portion of the storage material (e.g., material 32) where such storage material is insulative (e.g., in the absence of any different-composition material between an insulative storage material 32 and conducting material 48). Regardless, as an additional example, an interface of a storage material and conductive material of a control gate may be sufficient to function as a charge-blocking region in the absence of any separate-composition-insulator material 30. Further, an interface of conducting material 48 with material 30 (when present) in combination with insulator material 30 may together function as a charge-blocking region, and as alternately or additionally may a laterally-outer region of an insulative storage material (e.g., a silicon nitride material 32). An example material 30 is one or more of silicon hafnium oxide and silicon dioxide.

Intervening material 57 has been formed in trenches 40 and thereby laterally-between and longitudinally-along immediately-laterally-adjacent memory blocks 58. Intervening material 57 may provide lateral electrical isolation (insulation) between immediately-laterally-adjacent memory blocks. Such may include one or more of insulative, semiconductive, and conducting materials and, regardless, may facilitate conductive tiers 22 from shorting relative one another in a finished circuitry construction. Example insulative materials are one or more of SiO₂, Si₃N₄, Al₂O₃, and undoped polysilicon. In this document, “undoped” is a material having from 0 atoms/cm³ to 1×10¹² atoms/cm³ of atoms of conductivity-increasing impurity in said material. In this document, “doped” is a material having more than 1×10¹² atoms/cm³ of atoms of conductivity-increasing impurity therein and “conductively-doped” is material having at least 1×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³ of atoms of conductivity-increasing impurity therein. Intervening material 57 may include through array vias (not shown).

Any other attribute(s) or aspect(s) as shown and/or described herein with respect to other embodiments may be used in the embodiments shown and described with reference to the above embodiments.

In one embodiment, a method used in forming a memory array (e.g., 12) comprising strings (e.g., 49) of memory cells (e.g., 56) comprises forming a conductor tier (e.g., 16) directly above a lower tier (e.g., 13) that comprises conductive lines (e.g., 80) that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier (e.g., 14) is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. The conductor tier, the insulator tier, and the lower tier collectively comprise laterally-spaced memory-block regions (e.g., 58) and a through-array-via (TAV) region (e.g., 19). Insulator walls (e.g., 85*) are formed in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated (e.g., regardless of presence of stack 18L). A stack (e.g., 18U) comprising vertically-alternating different-composition first tiers (e.g., 22) and second tiers (e.g., 20) is formed above the conductor tier and above the insulator walls. Channel-material strings (e.g., 53) are formed that extend through the first tiers and the second tiers and that directly electrically couple to conductor material (e.g., 17) in the conductor tier. TAVs (e.g., 89) are formed in the TAV region that individually extend to directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines.

In one embodiment, the insulator walls individually have a top (e.g., 91) that is at or below a bottom (e.g., 92) of the stack. In one embodiment, the insulator walls individually have a top that is below the memory cells. In one embodiment, the insulator walls individually have a planar top that is above a planar top (e.g., 95) of the conductor tier. In one embodiment, the insulator walls surround individual of the TAVs.

Any other attribute(s) or aspect(s) as shown and/or described herein with respect to other embodiments may be used.

Alternate embodiment constructions may result from method embodiments described above, or otherwise. Regardless, embodiments of the invention encompass memory arrays independent of method of manufacture. Nevertheless, such memory arrays may have any of the attributes as described herein in method embodiments. Likewise, the above-described method embodiments may incorporate, form, and/or have any of the attributes described with respect to device embodiments.

In one embodiment, a memory array (e.g., 12) comprising strings (e.g., 49) of memory cells (e.g., 56) comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks (e.g., 58) individually comprising a vertical stack (e.g., 18*) comprising alternating insulative tiers (e.g., 20*) and conductive tiers (e.g., 22*) above a conductor tier (e.g., 14). The conductor tier is directly above a lower tier (e.g., 13) that comprises conductive lines (e.g., 80) that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier (e.g., 16) is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. The strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings (e.g., 53) that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple to conductor material (e.g., 17) of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region is present and that comprises TAVs (e.g., 89) that individually directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines. Insulator walls (e.g., 85*) are in the TAV region and extend vertically through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated. Any other attribute(s) or aspect(s) as shown and/or described herein with respect to other embodiments may be used.

The above processing(s) or construction(s) may be considered as being relative to an array of components formed as or within a single stack or single deck of such components above or as part of an underlying base substrate (albeit, the single stack/deck may have multiple tiers). Control and/or other peripheral circuitry for operating or accessing such components within an array may also be formed anywhere as part of the finished construction, and in some embodiments may be under the array (e.g., CMOS under-array). Regardless, one or more additional such stack(s)/deck(s) may be provided or fabricated above and/or below that shown in the figures or described above. Further, the array(s) of components may be the same or different relative one another in different stacks/decks and different stacks/decks may be of the same thickness or of different thicknesses relative one another. Intervening structure may be provided between immediately-vertically-adjacent stacks/decks (e.g., additional circuitry and/or dielectric layers). Also, different stacks/decks may be electrically coupled relative one another. The multiple stacks/decks may be fabricated separately and sequentially (e.g., one atop another), or two or more stacks/decks may be fabricated at essentially the same time.

The assemblies and structures discussed above may be used in integrated circuits/circuitry and may be incorporated into electronic systems. Such electronic systems may be used in, for example, memory modules, device drivers, power modules, communication modems, processor modules, and application-specific modules, and may include multilayer, multichip modules. The electronic systems may be any of a broad range of systems, such as, for example, cameras, wireless devices, displays, chip sets, set top boxes, games, lighting, vehicles, clocks, televisions, cell phones, personal computers, automobiles, industrial control systems, aircraft, etc.

In this document unless otherwise indicated, “elevational”, “higher”, “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “atop”, “bottom”, “above”, “below”, “under”, “beneath”, “up”, and “down” are generally with reference to the vertical direction. “Horizontal” refers to a general direction (i.e., within 10 degrees) along a primary substrate surface and may be relative to which the substrate is processed during fabrication, and vertical is a direction generally orthogonal thereto. Reference to “exactly horizontal” is the direction along the primary substrate surface (i.e., no degrees there-from) and may be relative to which the substrate is processed during fabrication. Further, “vertical” and “horizontal” as used herein are generally perpendicular directions relative one another and independent of orientation of the substrate in three-dimensional space. Additionally, “elevationally-extending” and “extend(ing) elevationally” refer to a direction that is angled away by at least 45° from exactly horizontal. Further, “extend(ing) elevationally”, “elevationally-extending”, “extend(ing) horizontally”, “horizontally-extending” and the like with respect to a field effect transistor are with reference to orientation of the transistor's channel length along which current flows in operation between the source/drain regions. For bipolar junction transistors, “extend(ing) elevationally” “elevationally-extending”, “extend(ing) horizontally”, “horizontally-extending” and the like, are with reference to orientation of the base length along which current flows in operation between the emitter and collector. In some embodiments, any component, feature, and/or region that extends elevationally extends vertically or within 10° of vertical.

Further, “directly above”, “directly below”, and “directly under” require at least some lateral overlap (i.e., horizontally) of two stated regions/materials/components relative one another. Also, use of “above” not preceded by “directly” only requires that some portion of the stated region/material/component that is above the other be elevationally outward of the other (i.e., independent of whether there is any lateral overlap of the two stated regions/materials/components). Analogously, use of “below” and “under” not preceded by “directly” only requires that some portion of the stated region/material/component that is below/under the other be elevationally inward of the other (i.e., independent of whether there is any lateral overlap of the two stated regions/materials/components).

Any of the materials, regions, and structures described herein may be homogenous or non-homogenous, and regardless may be continuous or discontinuous over any material which such overlie. Where one or more example composition(s) is/are provided for any material, that material may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of such one or more composition(s). Further, unless otherwise stated, each material may be formed using any suitable existing or future-developed technique, with atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, epitaxial growth, diffusion doping, and ion implanting being examples.

Additionally, “thickness” by itself (no preceding directional adjective) is defined as the mean straight-line distance through a given material or region perpendicularly from a closest surface of an immediately-adjacent material of different composition or of an immediately-adjacent region. Additionally, the various materials or regions described herein may be of substantially constant thickness or of variable thicknesses. If of variable thickness, thickness refers to average thickness unless otherwise indicated, and such material or region will have some minimum thickness and some maximum thickness due to the thickness being variable. As used herein, “different composition” only requires those portions of two stated materials or regions that may be directly against one another to be chemically and/or physically different, for example if such materials or regions are not homogenous. If the two stated materials or regions are not directly against one another, “different composition” only requires that those portions of the two stated materials or regions that are closest to one another be chemically and/or physically different if such materials or regions are not homogenous. In this document, a material, region, or structure is “directly against” another when there is at least some physical touching contact of the stated materials, regions, or structures relative one another. In contrast, “over”, “on”, “adjacent”, “along”, and “against” not preceded by “directly” encompass “directly against” as well as construction where intervening material(s), region(s), or structure(s) result(s) in no physical touching contact of the stated materials, regions, or structures relative one another.

Herein, regions-materials-components are “electrically coupled” relative one another if in normal operation electric current is capable of continuously flowing from one to the other and does so predominately by movement of subatomic positive and/or negative charges when such are sufficiently generated. Another electronic component may be between and electrically coupled to the regions-materials-components. In contrast, when regions-materials-components are referred to as being “directly electrically coupled”, no intervening electronic component (e.g., no diode, transistor, resistor, transducer, switch, fuse, etc.) is between the directly electrically coupled regions-materials-components.

Any use of “row” and “column” in this document is for convenience in distinguishing one series or orientation of features from another series or orientation of features and along which components have been or may be formed. “Row” and “column” are used synonymously with respect to any series of regions, components, and/or features independent of function. Regardless, the rows may be straight and/or curved and/or parallel and/or not parallel relative one another, as may be the columns. Further, the rows and columns may intersect relative one another at 900 or at one or more other angles (i.e., other than the straight angle).

The composition of any of the conductive/conductor/conducting materials herein may be metal material and/or conductively-doped semiconductive/semiconductor/semiconducting material. “Metal material” is any one or combination of an elemental metal, any mixture or alloy of two or more elemental metals, and any one or more conductive metal compound(s).

Herein, any use of “selective” as to etch, etching, removing, removal, depositing, forming, and/or formation is such an act of one stated material relative to another stated material(s) so acted upon at a rate of at least 2:1 by volume. Further, any use of selectively depositing, selectively growing, or selectively forming is depositing, growing, or forming one material relative to another stated material or materials at a rate of at least 2:1 by volume for at least the first 75 Angstroms of depositing, growing, or forming.

Unless otherwise indicated, use of “or” herein encompasses either and both.

CONCLUSION

In some embodiments, a method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a conductor tier directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. The conductor tier, the insulator tier, and the lower tier collectively comprise laterally-spaced memory-block regions and a through-array-via (TAV) region. Insulator walls are formed in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated. A stack comprising vertically-alternating different-composition first tiers and second tiers is formed above the conductor tier and above the insulator walls. Channel-material strings are formed that extend through the first tiers and the second tiers and that directly electrically couple to conductor material in the conductor tier. TAVs are formed in the TAV region that individually extend to directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines.

In some embodiments, a method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a conductor tier directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. A lower portion of a stack is formed that will comprise vertically-alternating first tiers and second tiers above the conductor tier. The lower portion, the conductor tier, the insulator tier, and the lower tier collectively comprise laterally-spaced memory-block regions and a through-array-via (TAV) region. The TAV region comprises lower vias that individually extend through the insulator tier and directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines. Insulator walls are formed in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend from the lower portion through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated. The vertically-alternating different-composition first tiers and second tiers of an upper portion of the stack are formed above the lower portion and above the insulator walls. Channel-material strings are formed that extend through the first tiers and the second tiers in the upper portion to the lower portion and that directly electrically couple to conductor material in the conductor tier. Upper vias in the TAV region are formed directly above and individually extend to directly electrically couple to individual of the lower vias to form individual TAVs.

In some embodiments, a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. The conductor tier is directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple to the conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAVs that individually directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines. Insulator walls are in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend vertically through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated.

In compliance with the statute, the subject matter disclosed herein has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the claims are not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise example embodiments. The claims are thus to be afforded full scope as literally worded, and to be appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents. 

1. A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells, comprising: forming a conductor tier directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated, an insulator tier being vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier; the conductor tier, the insulator tier, and the lower tier collectively comprising laterally-spaced memory-block regions and a through-array-via (TAV) region; forming insulator walls in the TAV region, the insulator walls extending through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and being horizontally elongated; forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating different-composition first tiers and second tiers above the conductor tier and above the insulator walls, and forming channel-material strings that extend through the first tiers and the second tiers and that directly electrically couple to conductor material in the conductor tier; and forming TAVs in the TAV region that individually extend to directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the insulator walls individually have a top that is at or below a bottom of the stack.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the insulator walls individually have a top that is below the memory cells.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the insulator walls individually have a planar top that is above a planar top of the conductor tier.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the insulator walls surround individual of the TAVs.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the insulator walls comprise a series of first insulator walls in a first vertical cross-section and a series of second insulator walls in a second vertical cross-section, immediately-adjacent of the first insulator walls in combination with immediately-adjacent of the second insulator walls surrounding individual of the TAVs.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first and second vertical cross-sections are orthogonal relative one another.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein individual of the insulator walls have longitudinally-alternating regions of different vertical thicknesses relative one another.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein individual of the insulator walls cross over above a plurality of the conductive lines.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the individual insulator walls have one region that is directly against a top of individual of the conductive lines where crossing thereover.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the individual insulator walls have another region that extends downwardly to between immediately-adjacent of the conductive lines.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the individual insulator walls have longitudinally-alternating regions of different vertical thicknesses relative one another.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the TAV region is in-plane.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the TAV region is out-of-plane.
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein individual of the TAVs comprise a lower via and an upper via that are formed at different times relative one another.
 16. A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells, comprising: forming a conductor tier directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated, an insulator tier being vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier; forming a lower portion of a stack that will comprise vertically-alternating first tiers and second tiers above the conductor tier; the lower portion, the conductor tier, the insulator tier, and the lower tier collectively comprising laterally-spaced memory-block regions and a through-array-via (TAV) region, the TAV region comprising lower vias that individually extend through the insulator tier and directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines; forming insulator walls in the TAV region, the insulator walls extending from the lower portion through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and being horizontally elongated; forming the vertically-alternating different-composition first tiers and second tiers of an upper portion of the stack above the lower portion and above the insulator walls, and forming channel-material strings that extend through the first tiers and the second tiers in the upper portion to the lower portion and that directly electrically couple to conductor material in the conductor tier; and forming upper vias in the TAV region directly above and that individually extend to directly electrically couple to individual of the lower vias to form individual TAVs.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the insulator walls individually have a top that is at or below a bottom of the upper portion of the stack.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the insulator walls individually have a top that is elevationally coincident with a top of the lower portion of the stack.
 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the insulator walls individually have a top that is below the memory cells.
 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the insulator walls surround individual of the TAVs.
 21. A memory array comprising strings of memory cells, comprising: laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier, the conductor tier being directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated, an insulator tier being vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier, strings of memory cells comprising channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers, the channel-material strings directly electrically coupling to conductor material of the conductor tier; a through-array-via (TAV) region comprising TAVs that individually directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines; and insulator walls in the TAV region, the insulator walls extending vertically through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and being horizontally elongated.
 22. The memory array of claim 21 wherein the insulator walls individually have a top that is at or below a bottom of the stack.
 23. The memory array of claim 21 wherein the insulator walls individually have a top that is below the memory cells.
 24. The memory array of claim 21 wherein the insulator walls surround individual of the TAVs.
 25. The memory array of claim 21 wherein the insulator walls comprise a series of first insulator walls in a first vertical cross-section and a series of second insulator walls in a second vertical cross-section, immediately-adjacent of the first insulator walls in combination with immediately-adjacent of the second insulator walls surrounding individual of the TAVs.
 26. The memory array of claim 25 wherein the first and second vertical cross-sections are orthogonal relative one another.
 27. The memory array of claim 21 wherein individual of the insulator walls have longitudinally-alternating regions of different vertical thicknesses relative one another.
 28. The memory array of claim 21 wherein individual of the insulator walls cross over above a plurality of the conductive lines.
 29. The memory array of claim 28 wherein the individual insulator walls have one region that is directly against a top of individual of the conductive lines where crossing thereover.
 30. The memory array of claim 29 wherein the individual insulator walls have another region that extends downwardly to between immediately-adjacent of the conductive lines.
 31. The memory array of claim 30 wherein the individual insulator walls have longitudinally-alternating regions of different vertical thicknesses relative one another.
 32. The memory array of claim 21 wherein the TAV region is in-plane.
 33. The memory array of claim 21 wherein the TAV region is out-of-plane. 